[CLOSED] Rascals

(Invited) Hidden in a far corner of 7 Keppel Road, right next door to the popular Yah Hua Bak Kut Teh, is literal new-kid-on-the-block @rascals_sg.
Co-owned by Chefs @alastiar_tan (a Candlenut alumni who went on to work in Australia before returning to head the kitchen at One MICHELIN-Starred Labyrinth) and @shaunseeyl (he was at Tippling Club when it was in Dempsey, before moving on to join Candlenut and Labyrinth as well) plus two other partners, it is a gastrobar serving up the kind of fun and immensely tasty Mod-Sin food that I want to keep eating.
There is a relaxed vibe about the place and the alcohol selection is wide and adventurous as evidenced by the alcohol pairing we had. It consisted of three sakes - an award-winner, another that’s produced by an ex-winemaker and a red rice version, as well as an Italian white wine and a pink craft beer. They were chosen to complement the dishes Chef Alastiar had curated for us. As our visit was on the fourth day of Chinese New Year, the Tasting Menu for @huatkaliao and I contained several courses influenced by the festive season. Here are what we were served:
1. A sweetish crunchy Kuih Loyang heaped with savoury and spicy tuna tartare and @caviarcolony’s premium Russian Hybrid. What a spectacular start.
2. Succulent 4-hour sous vide Abalone, jellyfish and mung bean noodles salad dressed in garlic chilli wrapped in fresh daun kaduk leaf to pop as one bite. Aromatic and complex, this had an intriguing and lovely taste profile.
3. Simple but brilliant combo of juicy grilled cabbage with umami nori cream and fresh, crunchy pork lard on a skewer. How could this not wow, right?!
4. The crunchy Corn Cream Croquettes filled with creamy corn and small pieces of scallop, was finished with, surprise surprise, grated “Jin Hua” ham! The reason the cured meat looks pale is because grating creates aeration which lightened its colour.
5. Topshell came next. Glazed in soy sauce and spiced up with sambal belachan, those firmly bouncy bites were also spread with toasted coconut flakes. Squeezing on lime juice really made the flavours shine here.
6. Stunning cold steamed Flower Crab in an incredible dressing of light soy, oyster sauce, “hua tiao jiu” (Chinese wine), sesame oil, sugar, fresh chilli, raw garlic, ginger, spring onions and leeks. Chef @alastiar_tan came up with this dish on the day itself thanks to an unexpected delivery of fresh roe-full crustaceans from @ahhuakelong.
7. Gold-flecked warm roasted chicken and dried scallop broth with an “ingot” of pumpkin and scallop, wood ear fungus and goji berries. Truly comforting.
8. The Hiramasa Kingfish Ceviche became an awesome Yu Sheng like no other. We tossed the slices of fish, candied kumquats, tomato water jelly and crunchy fish tuile in a classic Peruvian Tiger’s Milk dressing with roasted seaweed oil and honey before wolfing everything down.
9. Reminding me of the Ikan Tempra my grandmother used to cook, albeit richer and muted in tanginess, was the dish featuring crispy-skin Seabass in a piquant sauce of crab roe, sambal mattar and crispy shrimp.
10. I loved the Pork Trotter with Longevity Noodles smothered in shaved black truffle. The black vinegar butter added an acidity which balanced rest of the elements.
11. Cooked medium-rare, the Margaret River Angus Sirloin steak was plated with alliums, black vinegar shallots, sautéed garlic and a caramelised onion sauce.
12. Created 2 hours before dinner, @ahhuakelong’s fresh Clams appeared in Nasi Ulam. Their sweet brininess harmonised well with the edamame-full herbaceous rice. We even had it in two ways - as it was served and Chazuke style.
13. Dessert number one was a ballsy palate cleanser of sweet potato kaya, coconut cake, green mango sorbet and a milk soil bound by pork lard oil.
14. The second dessert blew our minds! Red yeast gelato, melon granita, homemade “bai tang gao” and pear came as one oh-so-beautifully. I told Team @rascals.sg to please never take this off their menu because it’s much too magnificent.
15. Epitomising everything CNY, the third dessert had a “nian gao” and chicken “bak kwa” fritter served with mandarin orange ice-cream on cashewnut cook crumble, topped by shaved salted egg yolk. It may sound like a mess but the outcome was divine.

Have came across the new Rascals at PSA Tanjong Pagar via social media some time back; had also been passing by the area quite a number of times and pretty intrigued by what the gastro bar has to offer — the space being pretty chill and simply decorated with a slightly raw touch. Offering different menus during lunch and dinner service, Rascals serves up set menus during lunch service — think a three-course set menu with a basic price of $25++ per set, while dinner service comprises of an ala-carte menu and a set menu at $88++ per guest that features snacks, large plates and desserts.

We enjoyed all of the dishes that we ordered, which also included the Crispy Potato Waffles, the “Mee Thai Larb” (essentially Thai Pork Larb, Fresh Herbs, Stir-Fried Mee Tai Mak Noodles and Soft Egg, and also the Rockmelon Granita. That being said, we had a soft spot for the Chicken Tofu Meatball — an item that features clam and chicken broth that is served with ring roll, carrots and two chicken tofu meatballs. While we are usually a fan of heavier flavours of which the other two savoury items are, there was something quite comforting with the clam and chicken broth here — despite the use of clam here, the broth is undoubtedly clean tasting without being especially briny, yet not particularly salty when compared against chicken broth elsewhere. It is almost akin to a home-cooked bowl of ABC soup; lightly flavourful, yet warms the soul. There, the ring roll adds a thin chewiness as it unravels when one picks it up with a fork or a spoon, while the carrots still carried a soft crunch though personally I do prefer it to be cooked just a little longer for an even softer bite. I absolutely loved the chicken tofu meatball; it’s especially soft — not quite as springy as a fishball on the first bite, but the texture is consistent throughout, almost akin to that of a cuttlefish ball being more on the firm, yet soft sort of texture. Could totally imagine having this with just a bowl of rice even if I am a little under the water — nothing short of being cosy, comforting and warming to the soul; an item that is rather atypical of what a gastrobar will serve.

Being a modern Asian gastrobar, Rascals seems to be a spot that tries to break the traditions of what one would typically find in such establishments, serving fusion fare that is interesting and fun, but not seemingly pretentious — also pretty fitting to the wide range of alcoholic beverages that they have to offer. A destination that those looking for inventive, modern Asian cuisine should add to the list of places to visit.